Fluid-pressure governor



Feb. 7,, 1928.

- 1,658,382 J. L. KIMBALL FLUID PRESSURE GOVERNOR Filed Oct. 19, 1925 v Patented ch. 7, 1928.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES LEWIS KIMIBALL, 0F SALEM, -MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO RUGGLES-KLINGE- MANN MFG. CO., OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

' FLUID-IPRESSURE GOVERNOR.

Applicationfiled OctoberIQ, 1925. Serial No. 63,335.

This invention relates principally to an improved valve structure and it particularly relates to a valve structure adapted for the controllingof fluid pressure.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a valve of the class described in which the reaction effect due to the velocity flow is prevented from disturbing the nor-. mal ,biased relation between the valve and its actuating means. 1

Another object is to provide a valve in which the internal parts including the seat ring are held in place by the bonnet or cover bolting and are therefore easily removed for inspection repairs or renewal when the bonnet or cover is removed.

A further object is to provide a-predetermined loss motion between the valve and the valve-actuatin means whereby the valve will be opened at a predetermined pressure but will not close until a predeterminedfluid pressure; they can be used as a reducing pressure regulator or as a pump governor for regulating the speedof the pump to control the discharge pressure. p

It is desirable that such valve be pressure tight when closed, otherwise, the pressure in the system may be increased over the pres sure setting of the regulator. For this reason we prefer to use a single seated valve of the pilot operated type. It is a well known fact, however, that this type of valve while balanced to fluid pressure has not heretofore been so constructed as to maintain a balance undervarying degrees of velocity flow. My invention provides means whereby the impulse and reaction effect of the velocity flow is equalized in such a way thatthe valve maintains its balance for all degrees of opening except for a slight tendency toward closing which has been found desirable.

' It is also desirable when such valves are used for the control of pumps not to operate such 'pumps continuously but to start the pump at a predetermined low pressure and to stop the pump at a predetermined higher pressure; especially is this desirable when controlling fire pumps for maintaining pressure on sprinkler systems where the normal demand is only the leakof the system. It is more preferable to have periodical pumping periods than it is to have a large pump capable of supplying'a fire demand operating continuously on a demand due only to the leak of the system.

It will also be noted that I have devised a novel valve structure in which all internal parts areeasily removed without the use of tools after the bonnet or cover is removed. These and other improvements are fully set forth in the following specifications and pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification is illustrated a sectional vertical elevation of my invention. A valve casing (1) has inlet (2) and outlet (3), a dividing wall (4) separates the inlet from the outlet, a seat ring (5) is held in position in the dividing wall by valve cage (6) and valve cage (6) is in turn held in position by valve bonnet A valve (8) is arranged to engage valve seat (5) to check the flow of fluid pressure from the inlet to the outlet of the valve casing (1). Valve (8) has a cylindrical extension (9) which is loosely fitted to the cylindricalvalve cage (6) and permitting fluid pressure from the inlet of the valve casing to enter and fill chamber (10). The only outlet from this chamber (10) is by orifice (11) in the center of the valve (8) and this orifice is controlled by pilot valve (12). This pilot valve (12) is in a chamber (13) formed in the cylindrical extension (9) of valve (8). Fluid pressure is permitted to freely flow from chamber (10) to chamber (13) through ports (14). It will be understood that when the pilot valve (12) is lifted it first uncovers orifice (11) which allows the pressure in chamber (10) and (13) tobe dissipated to a value corresponding to the pressure at the the inlet of the valve throughports (16) (8). A farther lift of the pilot valve (12) engages guide nut (15) which is secured in the upper end of the cylindrical extension (9) and the main valve (8) is lifted from its seat allowing fluid pressure to flow from thence through the lower end of ports and port (18).

It will be seen that the main valve (8) has both an upward and a downward extension. It will be understood from the foregoing description thatihe purpose of the upward extension is'to balance the pressure on the valve. The purpose of the downward extension is to balance the valve to velocity flow of the fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet. This is effected by forming a flange (19) at the lower end of the slotted cylindrical extension. If there was no bottom flange (19) the flow of fluid pressure would be directly against the bottom of the casing (1) and the impulse of the flow would react against the valve disc (8) causing it to be thrown out of balance and tend to be forced to an open position. This unbalanc- 'ing of the valve -(-8) due to velocity flow would have a very disastrous eflect in attempting to secure close regulation of the pressure. By forming flange (19) at the bottom ofthe cylindrical extension (20) I provide means whereby a part of the impulse effect is against this flange, and by means of theport (18) a .part of the impulse effect is against the valve casing (1). By properly proportionin the size of port to the total area of the ange the impulse effect tending to close the valve can be made to exactly balance the reaction effect tending to open the valve and thereby the valve becomes closely balanced to pressure and velocity flow. V i

' A further object of this improved valve structure is to provide means for holding the valve seat in position so it can be easily removed when the valve bonnet (7) is removed.

-This is accomplished by making the balancing cylinder (6) the proper length to engage the above ring (5) and to come flush with the top of the valve casing so that a gasket or packing placed between the flanges of the valve casing and valve bonnet will form a tight joint covering not only the bonnet and valve flange but the top flange of the cylinder (6). Itwill be seen that in this way that both the balancing cylinder and valve seat ring are held in place by the bolting of the bonnet to the valve body, and when the bonnet is removed all internal parts are easily removable.

In the operation of this valve from-pressure variation I have arranged a novel pressure motor comprising of. a diaphragm (21) diaphragm pressure chamber (22), diaphragm cap (23), pressure cap (24) ,pressure head (25) and actuating lever (27). Actuating lever (27) is fulcrumed at point (28), and the pressure on the diaphragm (21) is transmitted to lever (27) by toggle points (29) which are in contact with toggle pin (30). This pressure is counteracted by spring (31) which is connected to the lever (27 at point (32) by means of adjusting rod The opposite end of the lever is connected with valve stem (34) by means of a loss motion, the purpose of which will be hereafter explained. The pressure to be regulated or controlled, by the valve is connected to diaphragm plate (23) at (35).

When used as a fluid pressure pump governor the discharge pressure of the pump is connected at (35), and the valve is installed in the steam supply to the pump; in this way the speed of the pump is governed to maintain a uniform predetermined discharge pressure. When used as a reducing pressure valve the reduced pressure, or the pressure at the outlet of the valve (3) is connected at (35). Variations in pressure acting onthe diaphragm open and close valve (8) to maintain the desired pressure in the system. On a reduction in pressure below a predetermined mean average value the spring (31) overcomes the pressure on the diaphragm (21) and the valve spindle (34) is raised, first opening pilot valve (12) and exhausting the pressure in chamber (10) through post (11) to the outlet of the valve afterwhich the main valve (8) is lifted without resistance of the steam pressure or velocity flow. An increase in pressure above the predetermined mean averageyalue will force diaphragm (21) downward'compressing spring (31) and closing off both the pilot valve (12) and main disc Oftentimes in the control of pumps it is desirable in order not to operate the pump continuously to pump up a certain predetermined pressure and then close down the pump allowing the pressure to fall off say ten or fifteen pounds before again starting the pump.

To accomplish this purpose, I provide certain loss motion between the lever (27 and the valve stem (34). This is effected by elongating the hole in the, lever connection,

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making the connecting pin 37) a close fit in that the diaphragm has a relatively small" travel in relation to the travel of the valve, and likewise the spring has a still further reduced travel in relation to the diaphragm movement. This arrangement of parts. prewhere a greater movement of the spring were required. The function and operation of theimproved governor above described is made clear by the following description: An increase in pressur acting on the diaphragm first 'moves th operating lever to take up the loss motion between the operating lever and the valve spindle after which the spindle is moved to close the main valve,

the pilot valve remaining open until the main valve reaches its seat, after which the pilot valve is closed. In opening on a reduction in pressure the loss motion is first taken up and then the pilot valveopens and .exhausts the pressure from chamber 10 which places the main valve in a balanced condition as to pressure and then the main valve can be freely lifted from its seat.

It will be understood that the taking up of the loss motion between the operating lever and the valve spindle plus the loss motion necessary to open the pilot valve causes a certain drop in pressure onthe dia phragm and this causes the governor to act at a predetermined low pressure; likewise in closing these loss motions must be overcome which retards the closing of the valve and causes it to remain open until a predetermined high pressure is reached.

It will be understood that after the main and auxiliary valves have been closed the inlet pressure at (2) entersand fills chamber (.10) by passing between the valve extension (9) and the bore of the valve cage (6), these parts being loosely fitted to allow for the passage of fluid pressure and to prevent sticking but not "sufficiently loose to allow more stean'i to enter chamber (1) than c(an)be exhausted through pilot valve orifice I am aware of the fact that single seated main valves with a pilot valve for balancing the pressure on the main valve are old in the art, but, so far as I am aware, the method herein disclosed of holding the seat ring in place by the balancing cylinder or valve cage is new. Such valves as heretofore constructed were not suited for use in connection with a diaphragm pressure responsive device for the reason that the main valve was not balanced to velocity flow and therefore the main valve would kick open due to impulse and reaction effect. In my invention, the main valve is steadied by the velocity -flow acting on the inwardly extended flange (19) and this improvement is within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the nature ofmy invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a fluid pressure governor comprising a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet for the passage of fluid pressure, a mainvalve in said casing adapted to control the flow of fluid pressure from the inlet to the outlet, a cover for said valve casing, a valve ring in said casing adapted to be engaged by said main valve when closed, an upward cylindrical valve cage adapted to hold said valve ring in position by the bolting of the valve cover and to act as a balancing chamber for the main valve, a pilot valve arranged to balance the pressure on the main valve, a valve stem connected to the pilot valve, the main valve being constructedwith a downward cylindrical extension having circumferential ports for the passage of fluid pressure and a bottom inwardly extending flange adapted to receive an impulse from the velocity flow of the fluid pressure and thereby exert a force tending to maintain the pilot valve in an open position for all positions of-opening of the main valve, and a pressure responsive device for controlling the pilot valve.

2. In afluid pressure governor comprising a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet, a main valve in said casing adapted to control the flow of fluid pressure from the inlet to the outlet, a cover for said valve casing, a valve ring in said casing adapted to engage said valve when closed, an upward cylindrical valve cage adapted to hold the valve ring in position by the bolting of the valve cover and act as a balancing chamber for the main valve, a pilot valve for balancingthe pressure on the main valve, a valve stem connecting with the pilot valve, a pressure responsive device positioned vertically eccentric to the valve stem, an operating lever in engagement with the pressure responsive device and arranged to be operated thereby, a pressure counteracting spring connected to one end of said lever. said lever being fulcrumed between said spring and the pressure responsive device, the opposite end of the lever being connected to the ValXG stem, said connection having a loss motion permit-ting the valve to open at a predetermined low pressure and contlnueopen until a predetermined higher pressure is reached.

3. In a fluid pressure governor comprising a valve casing formed with an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, a cover for said valve casing, a main valve controlling communication between said two chambers, a valve seat ring arranged to be engaged by the main a valve when in a closed position, an upward cylindrical valve cage arranged to hold said valve seat ring in position by the bolting of the valve cover and to act as a balancing chamber for said main valve, a pilot valve arranged to balance the pressure on the main valve, a valve stem connecting with the pilot valve and extending through a stufiing box in the valve cover, a pressure responsive device positioned vertically eccentric to the valve stem, an operating lever in engagement with the pressure responsive device and arranged to be operated thereby, a pressure counteracting spring connected to one end of said lever, said lever being fulcrumed between said spring and the pressure responsive device; the opposite end of the lever beingconnected to the valve stem, whereby variations in pressureacting on the pressure responsive device operate the pilot valve to control the operation of the main valve.

JAMES LEWIS KIMBALL. 

